
![]() |
Edward Lowton
Editor |
![]() ![]() |
Food processing company fined £1.4m after worker suffers serious crush injuries
02 April 2019
A food processing company, 2 Sisters Food Group, has been sentenced after a worker was injured while unblocking a machine on the poultry slaughter line.
Doncaster Magistrates’ Court heard how, on 6 September 2012, an employee of 2 Sisters Food Group Limited was attempting to clear a blockage on a conveying system at its Foxhills Industrial Estate site in Scunthorpe, when he was struck by a large metal stillage. As a result, his body was crushed at chest height against the end of the unit, and he sustained multiple injuries including several fractured ribs, fractures to his back and a punctured lung.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the company had failed to identify deficiencies in the guarding on the machine, and the clearing of blockages was usually carried out while the machine was still in operation.
2 Sisters Food Group Limited of Trinity Park House, Fox Way, Wakefield pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) and Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and has been fined £1.4 million with £38,000 in costs.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Kirsty Storer said: “The employee’s life-threatening injuries could easily have been prevented had the company identified the guarding deficiencies and put in place simple measures to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery.
“This should serve as a lesson to others in the food processing industry about the importance of effectively guarding their machinery to stop others being similarly injured.”
- Delay to air pollution targets could cost lives
- Siemens technologies supports plan to create digital chemical facility
- Condition monitoring methods for better bearing performance
- Nominations open for 2021 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering
- Engro stays COVID-safe with WorkSafe Analytics
- Emergency preparedness pack launched for businesses
- Food industry investing least in cybersecurity
- ILAPAK presents flow wrapping solutions for fresh food
- Honeywell expands Experion energy control system
- 3D cloud-based virtual training